Improvement in signal-boxes for district and fire telegraphs



D.- H. WHILLDIN.

SIGNAL-BOXES FOR DISTRICT AND FIRE TELEGRAPHS. No.184;,566. PatentedNov.21, 1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL H. WHILLDIN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEVVYORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDALEXANDER MORTEN, OF NEW YORK CITY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SIGNAL-BOXES FOR DISTRICT AND FIRE TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,566, dated November21, 1876; application filed May 13, 1876.

matic, because if they were moved only by hand the operator would belikely to operate the signal with too much rapidity, especially whenusing the same as a fire-alarm.

My invention relates to a means for regulating the speed of movement ofthe breakwheel, so that it cannot be turned too rapidly. I also. combinewith the transmitting mechanism a signal electro-magnet, that serves toindicate whether the line is in use by any other party, and also toallow the sender to receive a signal indicating that the message hasbeen received at the central station.

In the drawing, Figure l is an elevation of the instrument andcircuit-connections, and Ifig. 2 is a view of the edge of thegovernorring.

The handle a is upon a shaft, b, that carries the break-wheel 0, havingthe required notches to open and close the circuit and give the signalat the central station, the said breakwheel 0 and circuit-closing spring0 acting together, in the usual manner. A ratchetwheel, f, and pawl gare provided to prevent the break-wheel being turned the wrong way.

The break-wheel '0, spring 0, ratchet-wheel f, and pawl g may be withina case, and the handle (it outside the case; but in the drawing thefront plate of the case is not shown. The revolution of the break-wheelopens and closes the circuit to the central station, the

wire I m either being part of a continuous line, or of a branch to theearth.

When in a continuous circuit the switch n can be used to close thebranch circuit and bring the electro-magnet 0 into the main circuit, toindicate, by the movement of its armature, whether the line is in useby. any other person. This switch or key returns automatically by aspring to the normal position, so as to close the circuit through thebreak-wheel c.

In order to prevent the handle a being moved too rapidly, I make use ofa governor, consisting of a circular notched flange, r, the notches ofwhich have inclined or beveled surfaces, so that the tooth s at the endof the spring-arm a may slide over the same as the arm is revolved, andcheck the too rapid movement of said arm, but not interfere with theoperator turning the same at a suitable speed for the signals to begiven by the breakwheel, as aforesaid.

The circuitbreaker may consist of conducting and non-conducting surfacesaround the notched governor, and a spring on the handle.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the break-wheel,circuit-closing spring, and circuits, of the handle a, circular notchedgovernor r, and yielding tooth s, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

2. The combination, with the break-wheel, circuit-closing spring, handlea, and circuits, of the self-acting springv switch or key andelectro-ma-gnet in the branch circuit, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

Signed by me this 10th day of May, A. D.

DANIEL H. WHILLDIN. Witnesses GEO. T. PINcKNEY, Cams. H. SMITH.

